Home Comforts
You wouldn’t want your family to know
The awkward details of your working day.
So don’t pollute the breakfast table chat
And put your trusty methods up on show.
It’s best to leave them locked behind your door
When you head back each night at half past five,
And talk about home comforts over meals;
Your loved ones won’t suspect you flout the law.
A rigid separation you must keep.
Maintaining order isn’t always nice;
Your practices, we know, bring some to tears.
Be careful not to make your household weep.
Because, you see, they may not understand
The necessary measures that you take,
For someone must record each muffled scream.
Safe journey home; remember, life is grand.
Stephen Gospage
Fri 3rd Apr 2026 17:21
An excellent question, Graham. I suppose some such people, in order to remain sane, must be able to compartmentalise their lives. Or perhaps, horrifyingly, they feel that they just do a normal job, like a lawyer or postman.
Here I tried to touch on the idea that authorities would not want torturers' families to know what they do, while the men involved would be tempted to tell them, seeing their work as part of the greater good. An appaling thought, of course.